Undergrad. Catalog 06: Literacy

Revised May 2008

Department of Literacy

105B Recitation Hall
610-436-2877
Sunita Mayor, Chairperson
Robert Szabo, Assistant Chairperson

PROFESSORS: Beeghly, Darigan, Gill, Kletzien

ASSOCIATE PROFESSORS: Caroff, Greenwood, Mayor, Szabo

ASSISTANT PROFESSORS: Flanigan, Nolan

INSTRUCTOR: Gordon

The Department of Literacy offers literacy courses required in the early childhood education, elementary education, secondary education, and special education programs. Students desiring a more thorough background in reading instruction may choose a reading minor. The department also offers courses in college reading and study skills for any University student.

All field placements for courses are arranged in conjunction with the Department of Early Childhood and Special Education or the Department of Elementary Education. Students are not to solicit placements. While student needs are considered in assigning placements, no particular placement can be guaranteed. West Chester University does not place students at religiously affiliated schools when public school placements are available. Transportation to and from field placements is the responsibility of the individual student.

Minor in Reading (21 semester hours)

Students who wish to minor in reading must have completed 30 credits and must have earned the minimum cumulative GPA required for their earned credits: 2.65 for students with 30-47 credits, and 2.80 for students with 48 or more credits. Students admitted to the minor must maintain the minimum cumulative GPA required of them at admission to the minor in order to continue. Students who fall below the minimum cumulative GPA required are permitted to retake, in accordance with University policy, course work in the minor that contributed to their fall below the required minimum cumulative GPA. Such students will not be permitted to take additional course work in the minor until they achieve the required minimum cumulative GPA.

1. Required courses (18 semester hours)
EDR/ECE 309 or EDR/EDE 311+, EDR/ECE 325+ or EDR/EDE 312+, EDR 321+, EDR 420, EDR 422
+ Courses requiring prerequisites - check catalog course description below.

2. Electives (3 semester hours)
Three semester hours of electives under advisement.

COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
LITERACY

Symbol: EDR

Q20 Intermediate Level Reading (3) This intermediate level workshop will emphasize the development and improvement of college-level reading competencies. The course is designed to help the students improve their reading comprehension as well as effective study techniques and strategies. Additionally, vocabulary development, flexible reading rate, and critical reading will be taught in this course.

100 College Reading and Study Skills (3) A course to develop reading and study skills such as comprehension, vocabulary, speed, remembering, concentration, taking notes, mastering a text assignment, and preparing for and taking examinations.

110 Developing Learning Skills (1) A course that reviews and develops specialized learning skills such as concentrating when studying, reading a textbook assignment, taking notes, and preparing for and taking examinations. Students who wish to review their study habits or who have special needs in the area of study skills should enroll in this course.

302 Teaching the Language Arts (3) Study of teaching language skills in the elementary schools: listening, speaking, and writing. PREREQ: EDE 251. Crosslisted as EDE 302.
Crosslisted course. Students completing the EDR course may not take the EDE course for credit.

309 Introduction to Language Arts (3) The areas of listening, speaking, and writing are studied in depth. Knowledge, teaching, and evaluative techniques are addressed. Introduction to the reading process and the relationship of language to reading also will be studied. Crosslisted as ECE 309.
Crosslisted course. Students completing the EDR course may not take the ECE course for credit.

311 Introduction to Reading Instruction (3) An exploratory course investigating the reading process, language and learning theories, and their relation to reading. Historical scope and various programs of reading are studied and evaluated. Crosslisted as EDE 311. PREREQ: EDE 251 or HEA 206.
Open to elementary education and special education majors and/or reading minors.
Crosslisted course. Students completing the EDR course may not take the EDE course for credit.

312 Reading Instruction and Practicum (6) Focus is on mastery of the teaching of developmental reading, early reading, and prereading experiences. Students learn how to plan, teach, and evaluate reading/thinking skills related to the instruction of reading in the elementary classroom. Students work in the public schools with small and large reading groups teaching various aspects of the reading lesson. Students also learn how to evaluate pupil performance and remediate minor reading problems. Crosslisted as EDE 312. PREREQ: EDE 200 and EDR/EDE 311.
Open to early childhood and elementary education majors and/or reading minors.
Crosslisted course. Students completing the EDR course may not take the EDE course for credit. Open to early childhood and elementary education majors or reading minors.

313 Reading Instruction and Practicum in the Secondary Schools (6) Focus is on the mastery of teaching reading in the middle and secondary schools. Students will study the role of the teacher as well as learn how to sequence both developmental and content area readings.

315 Developmental Reading for the Handicapped Child (3) The focus of this course is the study of the reading process and its relation to language development, motivation and methodology for developmental reading skills, reading programs and materials, problems in dealing with handicapped children, and practicum in reading instruction. Special education majors only. Crosslisted as EDE 315.
Crosslisted course. Students completing the EDR course may not take the EDE course for credit.

321 Assessment and Instructional Interventions in Reading and Language Arts (3) This course examines current theories and practices for assessing literacy performance. Students learn to apply knowledge by designing and implementing literacy interventions tailored to specific needs and diverse educational environments. PREREQ: EDR/EDE 311 or permission of instructor.
Open to elementary education and special education majors and/or reading minors.

323 Reading Disabilities: Identification, Assessment, and Intervention (3) This course is designed to help students gain a deeper understanding of specific reading disabilities. The course will focus on types of reading disabilities, methods of assessment, intervention plans, and effective instructional and motivational techniques for students with complex literacy difficulties. Individual and small group instruction as well as classroom accommodations will be addressed.

325 Teaching Reading and Field Experience (Primary Grades) (6) The teaching of reading and its mastery is the focus of this course. Students apply knowledge of theories and practices in supervised field placements in schools with children 5-8 years of age. Tutoring of individual children and small groups is integrated with planning and evaluation of lessons and activities as well as remediation. Crosslisted as ECE 325. PREREQ: EDR/ECE 309.
Open to early childhood and elementary education majors and/or reading minors.
Crosslisted course. Students completing the EDR course may not take the ECE course for credit.

341 Inclusion and Reading in the Content Area (3) The course is co-taught by special education and literacy faculty. It will help prepare secondary education and special education to teach all students effectively, including those with disabilities, in general-education, content-specific settings. Practical guidelines, content literary strategies, and adaptations will be emphasized to prepare pre-educators to meet the academic, social, and affective needs of all students in the inclusive secondary classroom. Crosslisted as EDA 341. PREREQ: EDF 300 or HON 312 and EDP 250.
Crosslisted course. Students may not take both courses for credit.
Diverse communities course

420 Content Area Reading (3) This course examines content area literacy as an integrated knowledge base used for learning with text across the curriculum. Strategies and practices, including the use of technology, for enhancing reading and learning in the content areas will be explored. Considerations for environmental, linguistic, cultural, and cognitive diversity will be included. PREREQ: EDR/EDE 311 or EDR/ECE 309, and formal admission to teacher education (for students in teacher education programs).

422 Seminar in Reading (3) Intensive study of some current, major developments in reading related to elementary education. Topics announced in advance. PREREQ: Permission of instructor.
Open to early childhood and elementary education majors and/or reading minors.
This course may be taken again for credit.

423 Seminar in Communications Skills (3) Intensive study of some current, major developments in communications skills (language arts) related to elementary education. Topics announced in advance. Crosslisted as EDE 423. PREREQ: Permission of instructor.
Open to early childhood and elementary education majors and/or reading minors.
Crosslisted course. Students completing the EDR course may not take the EDE course for credit.
This course may be taken again for credit.

458 Language Arts/Reading for the Unique Child (3) An open-ended course to help students understand and plan instructional programs for the linguistically different, the gifted, and those with special needs. The students will examine various strategies, techniques, management, and viable programs for teaching these children language arts and reading. Crosslisted as EDE 458.
Open to early childhood and elementary education majors and/or reading minors.
Crosslisted course. Students completing the EDR course may not take the EDE course for credit.